Spoon bender Uri Geller helps Irish fighter

DUBLIN, Ireland (January 19, 2006) – Peter McDonagh is leaving no stone unturned in preparations for his Irish title fight with Michael Gomez in Dublin on January 28th. The Galway man has turned to world famous paranormalist Uri Geller for assistance as he bids to score the win of his career against Gomez. A chance meeting between the two men on a flight to London has led to Geller’s involvement throughout McDonagh’s preparations and he will accompany the boxer to Dublin for the fight.

"Peter approached me on the flight and we had a good conversation," explained Geller. "He is a very interesting and talented young man and he told me all about his fight with Gomez. I explained to him how I had helped Muhammad Ali decades ago and told him I could help do the same for him. What I do is to help motivate and inspire people like Peter and give them the self-belief they need.

"It’s all about mental attitude. I told Peter that I believe in him but he also has to believe in himself. After our conversation I became involved with Peter’s training for this fight. I have brainstormed with him and he is very open-minded. He believes in positive thinking and has been able to absorb things very quickly."

Geller has been focusing on helping McDonagh achieve what he calls his "human potential.”

"It’s all about developing the energy of the mind and getting Peter to realize his human potential. That’s what I help people to do."

Geller’s work will undoubtedly draw comparisons with Steve Collins use of a hypnotist prior to his upset win over Chris Eubank in 1995, but Geller rejects that.

"What I am doing with Peter is far more powerful than hypnosis. It’s about getting Peter to become completely positive so that he knows it’s a case of when instead of if he wins this fight.

"Many athletes use hypnotherapy and sport psychologists, but my work is different,” Geller said. “I will be able to enhance Peter’s mental abilities and powers to make him faster, stronger and more powerful. I’ve worked with boxers like Muhammad Ali and numerous other athletes over the years to help them improve their performance and my work with Peter is no different.

"I’m looking forward to traveling to Dublin with Peter and I will be involved with him just like any other coach. The only difference is that I am training his mind, not his body."

McDonagh’s opponent, Michael Gomez, says he isn’t losing any sleep over Geller’s involvement. "All I have to say is good luck to him, because he’s going to need all the help he can get. I’m not sure Uri Geller will be of much use to him, though, because there won’t be any spoons in that ring for him to bend. The only thing I plan on bending is some of McDonagh’s ribs with my body punches!

"If he was looking for someone to help him in the ring then he should have got someone like Mike Tyson to come in with him and give him a hand. I think it just shows that he doesn’t have the mental strength to take me on and he obviously needs Uri Geller to help him with that. I just see that as a bonus for me really."

I don’t need any of that stuff,” continued Gomez. “I believe in myself 100%. I’ve overcome all sorts of obstacles in my life, being on a life support machine, car crashes, everything. Getting in the ring and fighting is easy compared to that."

The Gomez vs. McDonagh fight at the National Stadium on January 28th is the chief support bout on an excellent night of boxing in Dublin.

Headlining the bill is local hero Bernard Dunne as he faces the biggest test of his career against former European, British and IBO World Champion Noel Wilders.

Also featured on the card is some of the finest talent Irish Boxing has to offer, including Brian Magee, Colin Kenna, Kevin O’ Hara and Stephen Haughian.

A limited number of tickets are still available from TicketMaster on the web at TicketMaster.com or over the phone on 0818 719300.

You can find out more about Uri Geller’s work with some of the World’s